The messuage on which 20 Princes Street now stands may have belonged to the College of St Mary Chapel in the Fields since 1272, as part of the 3 messuages of the advowson of St George Tombland but other owners are mentioned in connection with Princes Inn in the 14th century.
1320-5 Princes Inn owned by Mabel Gotte, widow of William Gotte
1323 Common lane running between Hungate and Waggon and Horses Lane (now Plumbers’ Arms Alley)
1324, Mabel conveyed it to one William de Camel de Skeyton, whereupon the latter granted it to her for term of her life.
1325 Mabel conveyed it to Robert de Fornesete, a baker.
In 1330, Robert conveyed it to John de Wicklewode.
1373 a licence was granted to the Dean and Chapter of the College of the Blessed Mary in the Fields to shut up the common lane (Plumbers’ Arms Alley) with two gates
1391 first mention of Princes Inn according to Beecheno (no source given)
1397 Norwich Domesday Book – Dean of the College of the Blessed Mary in the Fields was to pay the Treasurer of the Community of Norwich twopence for the tenement ‘late the Princesin’
1412/3 The Norwich Treasurers’ roll recorded the payment of 5s 4d to William King and John Preston for wine sent to Simon de Felbrygg, John Wynter and others when they were ‘supping at the Princes Inn’. It further noted the payment of 11s 11d for divers expenses at divers times at ‘Dowes’ [location unknown] and ‘The Princys Inn’
1414 Common lane (probably Plumber’s Arms Alley) granted to Ralph Gunton – it was stated that “the common way was open but incumbered with dunghills to the great nuisance of the neighbours, moreover it had not served as a common passage for a long time. It would be for the benefit of the city if it were enclosed because of the lying in wait there of malefactors in the night season. Gunton was to pay one penny annually for the privilege of enclosing this way, and was to maintain a door at each end of it which was to be opened only in time of necessity such as a fire or for the purpose of repairing the adjacent properties”
1456 Paston Letters mention Princes Inn – John Bokkyng, Sir John Fastolf’s clerk, wrote from Caister Castle to John Paston: ‘Your cofre is at the Prinse Inn’
1538 Augustine Steward asks for reduction of rent on Princes Inn estate because it is a void messuage.
1541-1547 Princes Inn continues to be referred to as a void messuage
1545 the chapel and college of St Mary in the Fields were surrendered to the crown and the chapel and cloister destroyed. The remaining buildings were granted Dr Miles Spencer, who used the college as his private residence. The rest of the property included three messuages at St George’s and their gardens and orchards. (Blomefield). This may have been Princes Inn, 22-26 Princes Street/Tombland Alley and what became Augustine Steward’s House and the Samson & Hercules, which Spencer leased or sold off.
Above: Cunningham map of 1558. St George Tombland and 20-26 Princes Street highlighted
1568-1570 landgable records show Augustine Steward has passed on the Princes Inn messuage to son William (1527/30 – 1610) – clergyman and alderman. Neighbouring tenement (22?) owned by Augustine Sotherton (bef 1553-1585), grandson of Augustine Steward.
1596 Norwich Assembly – recorded that Richard Hall, cook, was to have “a certain late waste ground, now re-edified, called Prynce Inn” which had been purchased by the City of Norwich
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